


The Dojo

by Kirfuffel



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Compliant, Comedy, Gen, Light-Hearted, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 08:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19390645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirfuffel/pseuds/Kirfuffel
Summary: With his darling Lee out on a mission, Gai turns to his more reserved student to aid him in a most important project.





	The Dojo

This would do it alright. This would finally show Kakashi what happens when a person is too ‘hip’ and 'cool’ for their own good. It was foolproof. It was flawless! For Gai had been thinking about it all morning and there was no better time to put it all into place. For today, he was finally going to teach his too-cool rival a lesson and it would be so amazing that he would never, ever forget it.

“Sensei, would you mind going over your plan once more? I’m afraid I didn’t catch it all the last time.”

Gai chuckled smugly, patting his precious Neji on the shoulder. “Not at all, my most helpful student. I am going to build a dojo right on the edge of town- a dojo so fabulous and awe-inspiring that every shinobi from miles around will want to come and challenge it. I am going to build it and I am going to run it and I am going to take every challenger that comes to my door! Except one!”

Neji cocked an eyebrow at him. “Except one?”

“Yes!” Gai’s smug smile widened and he gestured to the pile of lumber and equipment he was dragging behind them. “I am going to build the most exquisite dojo in the world and I am going to accept and defeat all challengers! Except one.”

Neji sighed. “And who is this 'one’, sensei?”

Gai stopped and grabbed Neji around the shoulders, pulling him in closer and whispering- like it was some big top secret-: “Kakashi.”

“Is that so?”

“It most certainly is! Imagine with me, my dearest pupil! First, he will only hear stories of it. The wonder, the prestige, the awe. Rumors going around the village of a dojo so magnificent that all who are worthy of calling themselves shinobi are compelled to challenge it, yet none prevail. Soon, the temptation will become too great! He will arrive to challenge the owner of this magnificent dojo, only to find that it is run by none other than his eternal rival! He will proclaim 'Gai, my rival, I wish to challenge you and your astounding dojo!’ and I will say 'No! I am busy!’ Just like he said to me today.”

Neji was quiet for a moment, then gave his sensei a tired look. “So… you are building a dojo because Kakashi didn’t want to play with you?”

“No! I am building a dojo so I can have all the rivals I want! Then we’ll see who doesn’t have time for who!”

“So you’re basically building this out of spite.”

“Not at all! I am doing this to inspire others to hone their skills in hopes of challenging me.”

Neji sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “Sensei, aren’t you a little old to be building a fort?”

“It’s not a fort! It’s a dojo!”

“A dojo you’re building specifically so you can not invite Kakashi to it. That seems pretty childish to me.”

Gai sputtered. “B-! D-! You are one to talk! You have a tree house!”

“So? I’m twelve. It’s a normal part of my development. You, on the other hand, are a grown man building a fort so you can tell Kakashi he can’t go into it.”

“It is completely different!”

Neji scowled. “More over, I claim false premises. When I asked what your plans were today, you failed to mention this. I would have been much firmer with my refusal to come if I had known you were just going to use me as free labor- child labor, if I may be specific.”

This was one of those times when Gai wished his dear youthful Lee was around, instead of out on a mission. He was always a lot more supportive and enthusiastic about Gai’s projects than Neji was. Gai shoved Neji forward. “You signed off on child labor when you became a shinobi. Besides, this will be fun! You like building things, right? We will even turn it into training! It’ll be a blast.”

“This isn’t training. I want to go home.”

“Too late! You signed up for this!”

“I didn't sign up for anything. Where’s Tenten? Why doesn't she have to do this?”

“Stop complaining. We’re going to have a lot of fun today.”

“That’s what you said about the roller skates and that wasn’t fun at all.”

“It would have been if you had applied yourself.”

“I was applied into a wall. That was enough application for me.”

“It is high time you got over yourself, my precious little introvert. You and I don’t spend enough quality bonding time together. This is your budding youth and we must embrace our time together when-!”

“I miss Lee, sensei..."

"As do I, but as he has his own life, so must we have ours! And today, our lives are intertwined in the construction of a wondrous dojo!"

"Please don't say it like that."


End file.
